Thursday, January 22, 2009

"NASCAR Wives" Will Not Follow Miss America On TLC

There is a buzz in the air about the new TV series debuting on the TLC network called NASCAR Wives. Produced by The NASCAR Media Group, this series is intended to tell the stories of several women in the sport from their own personal perspectives.

Powerhouse women like DeLana Harvick and Kelley Earnhardt are mixed-in with Shana Mayfield, Angie Skinner and Amanda Mathis. Some fans may be familiar with all those names, while others may have to dig a bit to find out just who is who.

Each of the women listed above are involved in NASCAR in very different ways. More than just having a family life rooted in motorsports, the series will explore the roles of team owner, business executive, public relations manager and career advisor all of which are represented in this group.

While one of the personalities participating is just joining the sport on a full-time basis, another has struggled to find a lasting personal relationship. Some of the marriages may show the strain of losing the limelight as the careers of husbands ride the roller-coaster of a NASCAR driver's life.

Originally, TLC intended to air the first episode of this series as a special after the Miss America pageant on January 24th. Since that time, TLC has reconsidered and would like to include the Daytona 500 experience of these women in the first show.

Actually, this probably makes a lot of sense. The other series from The NASCAR Media Group have started with Daytona and worked out very well. Last season's NASCAR Confidential was especially memorable.

TDP will post updated scheduling information as soon as it becomes available, but the first show will probably be the final week of February or the first week of March. The remaining episodes will follow on a regular basis.

Credit goes to NMG for getting a NASCAR-themed series on a TV network that does not involve the words ESPN or SPEED. These two have cut back on original productions of this type and are off into their own agendas. ESPN wants live events and SPEED wants lifestyle TV shows that have nothing to do with actual sanctioned motorsports competition.

It should be interesting to see how NASCAR Wives goes over with the general public on a TV network that has absolutely no connection to racing. Who knows, it may become the next reality TV sensation.

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I hope the fact they are delaying the show means they wised up and realized they needed some racing footage and/or racetrack footage in there.

A previous article I read about this show had a quote from NMG saying racing footage would be minimized in this show. I thought (and said on the other column's comments) that would be a big mistake; a big part of the show should be reactions of the wives/GFs at the track before/during/after a race. And also their lifestyles at the track where they spend half the week.

Hope they've changed their minds and changed gears by delaying the show.

Amanda Mathis is Scott Speed's fairly recent girlfriend and now fiancee. I say recent because just a year or so ago, Scott Speed was known for having one of the most beautiful Formula 1 "WAGs" (Wives and Girlfriends). Her name is Valentina... NOT Amanda. Wonder where she went.

The F1 WAGs are photographed regularly by the European press and critiqued on their look, their clothes, everything. The newest F1 WAG sensation is Lewis Hamilton's American pop star girlfriend, who is the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls. I'm surprised there's not a show about those WAGs! It might be more interesting than NASCAR life, I must admit.

Perhaps Valentina, who is from Austria, decided not to make that journey to such a different lifestyle. (unlike Connie Montoya, who adjusted quickly to the less glamourous NASCAR). That would have been an interesting drama to follow on this series - Valentina adjusting - or not adjusting- to America and the NASCAR circuit.

Just an aside...Interesting how lots of NASCAR drivers end up with "PR girls" (Delana was a PR girl when she met Kevin) and a number of drivers have dated/are dating them. Kind of like how being Miss Winston used to lead to marrying a NASCAR guy.

Is DeLana Harvick *the* executive producer on this series? Or is she one of the vanity credits, meaning she gets a contractual credit as executive producer for participating as a main star of the show, while a nuts and bolts exec producer does the real production work?

I don't recall DeLana having any TV production credits behind the cameras. Starting out as an exec producer on a primetime series seems quite a leap.

Amanda Mathis has a HUGE history in racing. She is the sister to NHRA ProStock Motorcycle Champion Matt Smith and the daugher of NHRA ProStock/ProMod Champion "Ticky" Ricky Smith. She was the PR girl at Bill Davis Racing and now works soley for her fiancee, Scott Speed.She's a wonderful girl with "down home" country roots and a heart of gold.